Diwali 2026: Date, Lakshmi Puja Muhurat and the Five Days

Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, November 8, and the main Lakshmi Puja muhurat in New Delhi runs from 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM IST, according to Drik Panchang. For families abroad, the same panchang gives 5:04 PM to 6:52 PM ET in New York, 5:16 PM to 7:08 PM PT in Los Angeles and 4:35 PM to 6:12 PM GMT in London. Timings follow local sunset and differ between traditions, so many households confirm them with a local panchang, temple or priest.

As of October 26, 2026, the five-day festival runs from Dhanteras on Friday, November 6, to Bhai Dooj on Wednesday, November 11, in Drik Panchang's Diwali calendar for New Delhi. Below are the city timings, what each day means, and the bank, school and market holidays published so far.

Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026 by city (IST)

Drik Panchang sets the main window inside Pradosh Kaal, the period around sunset, while the fixed Vrishabha lagna is rising. It lists these times for Sunday, November 8, each in local time:

• New Delhi: 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM (Noida 5:54 PM to 7:49 PM; Gurgaon 5:55 PM to 7:51 PM)
• Mumbai: 6:27 PM to 8:27 PM (Pune 6:24 PM to 8:24 PM)
• Kolkata: 5:20 PM to 7:18 PM
• Chennai: 6:07 PM to 8:09 PM
• Bengaluru: 6:17 PM to 8:20 PM
• Hyderabad: 6:07 PM to 8:08 PM
• Ahmedabad: 6:22 PM to 8:20 PM
• Jaipur: 6:03 PM to 7:59 PM
• Chandigarh: 5:52 PM to 7:46 PM

In New Delhi, Pradosh Kaal lasts from 5:31 PM to 8:09 PM. Drik Panchang also lists a late-night Mahanishita window from 11:39 PM to 12:31 AM (technically November 9), which it describes as mainly used by tantric practitioners; it points most households to the evening window.

The New Delhi evening times are repeated by Aaj Tak and Brut India, both citing the same New Delhi calculation. In the Gulf, Gulf News gives 5:58 PM to 7:56 PM UAE time for Dubai.

Diwali 2026 in the US and UK: ET, PT and GMT

Drik Panchang also places Lakshmi Puja on Sunday, November 8, in New York, Los Angeles and London. Its local figures:

• New York (ET): muhurat 5:04 PM to 6:52 PM; Pradosh Kaal 4:44 PM to 7:31 PM; Amavasya from 12:57 AM on November 8 to 2:01 AM on November 9.
• Los Angeles (PT): muhurat 5:16 PM to 7:08 PM; Amavasya from 9:57 PM on November 7 to 11:01 PM on November 8.
• London (GMT): muhurat 4:35 PM to 6:12 PM; Amavasya from 5:57 AM on November 8 to 7:01 AM on November 9.

The clocks will have changed by then. US daylight saving time ends on November 1, so the US figures are in standard time (EST and PST), and UK clocks returned to GMT on October 25. Our guide to when daylight saving time ends in 2026 has the details. Other cities have different sunsets, so local temples usually publish their own schedules.

Why Diwali is on November 8, not November 9

Lakshmi Puja is held on the evening when Amavasya, the new-moon tithi of Kartik, overlaps Pradosh Kaal. In 2026, Amavasya starts at 11:27 AM IST on November 8 and ends at 12:31 PM IST on November 9, per Drik Panchang. Only the evening of November 8 falls inside it.

That split is why some calendars show "Amavasya" on November 9. India TV tackled the 8-or-9 question directly and settled on November 8, with tithi times one minute later than Drik Panchang (11:28 AM to 12:32 PM). The Economic Times lists Diwali and Lakshmi Puja on November 8 and Kartik Amavasya separately on November 9.

The five days of Diwali 2026, Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj

The dates below follow Drik Panchang for New Delhi. Regional calendars sometimes differ by a day, and those differences are noted.

1. Dhanteras, Friday, November 6. Puja muhurat 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM; Trayodashi runs from 10:30 AM on November 6 to 10:47 AM on November 7 (Drik Panchang). The name joins dhan (wealth) and teras (the 13th lunar day), and many families buy gold, silver or utensils, as Gulf News notes. The Economic Times adds that the day also honours Dhanvantari, linked with health and Ayurveda.
2. Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali), Sunday, November 8. Drik Panchang puts it on the same day as Lakshmi Puja this year, with the pre-dawn Abhyang Snan from 5:41 AM to 6:38 AM (timings). Several calendars still mark Saturday, November 7, for Choti Diwali, Kali Chaudas or Hanuman Puja.
3. Lakshmi Puja, Sunday, November 8. The main night. Drik Panchang's calendar also lists Kali Puja, observed in Bengal, and Chopda Puja, when traders open new account books, on this date.
4. Govardhan Puja and Annakut, Tuesday, November 10. Morning muhurat 6:40 AM to 8:50 AM, alongside Bali Pratipada and the Gujarati New Year (Drik Panchang). The central government's restricted-holiday list, Gulf News and Education Times place Govardhan Puja on Monday, November 9.
5. Bhai Dooj, Wednesday, November 11. The afternoon tilak window is 1:10 PM to 3:20 PM; Dwitiya runs from 2:00 PM on November 10 to 3:53 PM on November 11 (Drik Panchang). Bihar's state calendar marks Chitragupta Puja and Bhai Dooj on November 10, and Nepal's Bhai Tika also falls on November 10, according to timeanddate.com.

What Diwali means

Diwali is a major festival in Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. Britannica traces the name to the Sanskrit dipavali, "row of lights", and notes that its stories vary by region. Most Hindu homes light lamps to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Kali is worshipped in Bengal, the north recalls Rama's return to Ayodhya, and the south marks Krishna's defeat of Narakasura.

Jains mark the nirvana of Mahavira, and Sikhs observe Bandi Chhor Divas, as Brut India explains. Common customs include cleaning and decorating homes, rangoli, diyas, sweets and family visits. This is also the first Diwali since UNESCO added Deepavali to its list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity on December 10, 2025.

Bank, school and market holidays in India

Because Diwali falls on a Sunday, most offices and banks are already closed on the main day. The central government's 2026 holiday order (Department of Personnel and Training, dated July 3, 2025) lists Diwali (Deepavali) on November 8 as a gazetted holiday. It also lists Naraka Chaturdasi (November 8), Govardhan Puja (November 9) and Bhai Duj (November 11) as restricted holidays that employees may choose.

The RBI holiday list (select November 2026) shows these weekday bank holidays, by RBI regional office:

• Monday, November 9: Agartala, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Gangtok, Imphal, Jaipur, Kanpur and Lucknow.
• Tuesday, November 10: Ahmedabad, Belapur, Bengaluru, Dehradun, Gangtok, Mumbai and Nagpur.
• Wednesday, November 11: Gangtok, Imphal, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow and Shimla.

Banks also close on the second and fourth Saturdays, November 14 and 28. For stock markets, Mint reports that NSE and BSE will hold a special Muhurat Trading session on Sunday, November 8, and stay shut on Tuesday, November 10, for Diwali-Balipratipada.

There is no national school timetable. Education Times reports a 13-day Diwali break for Maharashtra schools from November 2 to 14, and an earlier Education Times report says Monday, November 9, may be a school holiday in Uttar Pradesh for Govardhan Puja. Bihar's 2026 government calendar lists Deepawali on November 8 and Chitragupta Puja/Bhai Dooj on November 10. Each school's own notice is the final word.

Our take

The 8-or-9 confusion comes from the Amavasya tithi spanning two calendar days, not from a real dispute over the main night: every source cited here puts Lakshmi Puja on November 8. The genuine differences are in the later days, where Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj shift by a day depending on the regional calendar. Anyone booking leave or travel around November 9 to 11 should check their own state's list rather than a national one.

What to watch for

• NSE and BSE circulars giving the exact Muhurat Trading session time.
• State and district school notices, and any late changes to state holiday lists.
• Chhath Puja follows from November 13 to 16: see our guide to Chhath Puja 2026 dates and arghya times.
• Guru Nanak Jayanti falls on November 24: see Gurpurab 2026 date and Purnima timings.

Frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026?

Diwali 2026 is on Sunday, November 8. Drik Panchang's New Delhi calendar runs the five days from Dhanteras on November 6 to Bhai Dooj on November 11. Some regional calendars place Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj a day earlier.

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat on Diwali 2026?

In New Delhi it is 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM IST, according to Drik Panchang. Mumbai's window is 6:27 PM to 8:27 PM and Kolkata's is 5:20 PM to 7:18 PM. Timings vary by city and tradition, so check a local panchang.

Is Diwali 2026 on November 8 or November 9?

November 8. Amavasya runs from 11:27 AM IST on November 8 to 12:31 PM IST on November 9, so only the evening of November 8 has Amavasya during Pradosh Kaal, the window used for Lakshmi Puja.

What time is Lakshmi Puja in the US and UK in 2026?

Drik Panchang lists 5:04 PM to 6:52 PM ET in New York, 5:16 PM to 7:08 PM PT in Los Angeles and 4:35 PM to 6:12 PM GMT in London, all on Sunday, November 8. Other cities differ slightly because sunset times differ.

Are banks closed for Diwali 2026?

Diwali itself is on a Sunday. The RBI holiday list shows weekday bank holidays on November 9, 10 or 11 depending on the city, for example November 10 in Mumbai and Bengaluru and November 11 in Kolkata. Check the RBI holiday page for your city.

Sources

1. Diwali Puja Calendar 2026 (New Delhi), Drik Panchang
2. Lakshmi Puja 2026 date and muhurat, New Delhi and other cities, Drik Panchang
3. Lakshmi Puja 2026 muhurat for New York, Drik Panchang
4. Lakshmi Puja 2026 muhurat for Los Angeles, Drik Panchang
5. Lakshmi Puja 2026 muhurat for London, Drik Panchang
6. Dhanteras 2026 puja muhurat, Drik Panchang
7. Narak Chaturdashi 2026 Abhyang Snan timings, Drik Panchang
8. Govardhan Puja 2026 date and time, Drik Panchang
9. Bhai Dooj 2026 date and time, Drik Panchang
10. Diwali 2026: kab hai Diwali? Lakshmi Puja muhurat aur Amavasya tithi, Aaj Tak
11. When Is Diwali 2026? Date, Day, Lakshmi Puja Timings And The Story Behind The Festival, Brut India
12. Lamps, Lakshmi and gold: Why Diwali in the UAE starts at the jewellery counter, Gulf News
13. Diwali 2026 Date: 8 ya 9 November, kab manai jayegi Diwali?, India TV
14. November 2026 Hindu Festival Calendar: Diwali, Chhath Puja, Dev Diwali and Other Important Dates, The Economic Times
15. Chhat Parwa 2026 in Nepal (with other November holidays in Nepal), timeanddate.com
16. Diwali: Hindu festival, Encyclopaedia Britannica
17. Deepavali inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, UNESCO
18. Holidays to be observed in Central Government Offices during the year 2026 (DoPT O.M. F.No.12/2/2023-JCA, 3 July 2025), Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India (hosted by MEA)
19. Holidays (November 2026, all regional offices), Reserve Bank of India
20. Next stock market holiday 2026: When is next weekday non-trading day at NSE, BSE?, Mint
21. When is Diwali 2026? Will schools be closed on Monday, November 9?, Education Times
22. November School Holidays 2026: Check Diwali, Guru Nanak Jayanti and state wise holiday list, Education Times
23. Bihar Sarkar 2026 Din-Patri (government calendar and holiday list), Government of Bihar (General Administration Department)

How we wrote this

GessyMorgan explainers are built from public reporting and official sources. This post draws on the 23 sources listed above, each linked where we use it. It was drafted with AI assistance and checked against those sources before publishing. We did not test products, attend events or interview anyone for this article. Facts are current as of October 26, 2026, and we update the post when they change.